


Symptoms of the Culture

by techManticore



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Communication, Dreams, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, re-establishing relationship, sleeping issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-30 21:19:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15105086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/techManticore/pseuds/techManticore
Summary: Noctis tries to help Ignis after he wakes up confused from a nightmare and it ends the real, honest conversation both of them desperately needs.***"...This is gonna sound like a excuse, but I had no idea what to say that didn’t sound like trite bullshit. And everything was happening so fast, it was overwhelming. And, honestly, I didn’t feel like I had any…right to comfort you, you know.”





	Symptoms of the Culture

**Author's Note:**

> I just need my boys to COMMUNICATE okay! The whole time I was playing through this part of the game, my heart hurt because all I wanted was for all of them to just TALK to each other.

Ignis is walking down what he believed to be a corridor. His cane grazing along a wall that seemed to go on forever. Behind him he hears the distinct creaking of a daemon pulling itself out of the ground. His pulse skyrockets and he whirls around to face the enemy. 

“Noct!” he calls back. Ignis couldn’t have gotten too far behind his friends, but he heard nothing that suggested they were still with him. “Gladio? Prompto?” Not a breath.

Ignis takes a deep breath and steels himself. He’s not yet sure of his fighting abilities, but what other choice does he have? So he turns toward the squelching sound of the daemon that is surely advancing on him and summons his daggers. The weight of them in his hands is comforting and it gives him a surge of confidence to launch himself toward the daemon. 

Ignis manages to land a hit, but just barely, his blade nicking the daemon's side. Ignis can’t even tell if it had done any damage.  
He stumbles a bit with the impact of his attack. But Ignis regains his balance quickly, reorienting himself with the daemon. He’s not quick enough though, because the daemon’s on him in a second, swiping at Ignis and catching his shoulder with a huge claw.

Ignis hisses in pain, tumbling to the ground. His back smacks against the hard surface, and Ignis gasps as the breath is knocked from his lungs. Dizzy and disoriented Ignis scrambles to his feet desperately. His teeth are clenched as he listens for the daemon to get its position again, but he can't hear anything over the blood rushing in his ears and the harsh pants from his mouth. 

He locks on to the daemon again a second too late and it comes crashing into his side. Its teeth and claws sinking into whatever of Ignis' flesh it can reach.

“Highness,” Ignis tries to yell, one last attempt to call him back, but the word comes out as a strangled plea, not very dignified for his last moments.

A hand comes down on his chest. The touch isn’t harsh, but he flinches away still, his body not ready to give in to death.   
Ignis jerks so violently his head hits the other wall and he hears a voice break through the fuzziness of his mind. 

“Astrals, Ignis.” 

That’s... “Noctis.” Ignis reaches for the prince, hoping to latch onto his shirt or his arm, but is met with empty air. “The daemons,” he tries to warn, his voice barely above a whisper.

A deep breath and then the voice again says, “There aren't any daemons.” Hands are on Ignis again. Their touch is gentle. One hand comes up to cradle the back of his head. The other clutches Ignis' still searching hand. “Quit squirming. You’re gonna crack your skull open.”

“You were able to eliminate them?” Ignis asks. How is he still alive? Ignis' free hand feels along his torso, looking for the gashes from the daemon, but his free of any fresh wounds.

“There aren't any daemons, Ignis.” Noctis repeats, squeezing Ignis' hand. “Do…you know where you are?”

Ignis hesitates, his eye darting around fruitlessly, trying to sense even the feeblest bit of light for a clue to his location. He’s not quite sure how he even arrived at this place. “A tunnel of some sort, surely,” he finally decides. “Where're Gladio and Prompto?”

“They’re sleeping. You’re not in a tunnel,” Noctis' voice has a worried tone to it and it makes Ignis furrow his brows. “You’re on the train. In one of the sleeper cars. You came in here a few hours ago to get some rest, remember? You were calling out…so I came to see… I thought you were dreaming, but your eyes were open...”

“I’m on the train?”

“Yeah… Ignis, can you sit up?”

Ignis nods and let’s go of Noctis hand, he can feel Noctis move back a bit as Ignis lifts himself up. 

“Careful,” Noctis murmurs his hand coming back down on his head, gently guiding it down and away from some sort of obstacle.

“I know,” Ignis says, short and snappish, immediately regret his tone.

“Sorry,” Noctis says quickly, his hand gone from Ignis’ hair. “I just…”

Ignis sighs, the pain and frustration melting away. “I know,” he repeats, softer this time. “I’m sorry.”

“No,” Noctis says, “don’t worry about it. I shouldn’t have…”

“Noct, you were just trying to help. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I was wrong. Please.”

Noctis, thankfully drops the subject, but not before giving a short, uncomfortable sounding sigh. They sit in silence for a long moment and Ignis chooses to focus on the clicking and clacking of the train tracks, rather than Noctis’ breathing. 

“Are you…okay?” Noctis says finally. 

Ignis resists the urge to snort. “I’m alive,” he answers.

“Ignis,” Noctis’ voice sounds so broken and it cuts straight into Ignis' heart. His fists curl into his pants and his eye squeezes shut. “That’s not what I asked.” Noctis pauses. Ignis can hear the click of his throat as he swallows thickly. “Remember what you told me? Share the load. How can you ask me to burden you, when you won’t let me do the same for you?”

“Noctis…its not--"

“It is the same. Please.”

Ignis takes a long breath, letting it out slowly before he starts to speak. “I’ve…been having a bit of trouble. Occasionally it’s been difficult to distinguish between dreams and reality. Not all the time to be certain, only when I’m just waking up it seems to be an issue. I believe that’s what occurred tonight. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

Noctis remains silent a long time but eventually says, “is it alright if I touch you?” 

Ignis nods hesitantly, taken off guard by Noctis' reaction. 

“Okay,” Noctis breathes and then a moment later one arm goes around his shoulders and the other is at his middle. The touch is friendly and simple but Ignis still feels a shiver run down his spine and goosebumps erupt along his arms. Noctis hasn’t hugged him like this since…Gods know when. Before Altissia at least.

Then Noctis presses his face against the side of Ignis' head. His breath tickles Ignis' jaw, making him shiver again. And Noctis’ voice vibrates through Ignis, all the way down to his toes, when he speaks again.

“Thank you for telling me. I know you’ve been…struggling since Altissia. Not with the physical stuff. You’re far from helpless,” Noctis is quick to add when Ignis begins to protest. “But with the other stuff. I’m sorry I haven’t been there for you like I should have. This is gonna sound like a excuse, but I had no idea what to say that didn’t sound like trite bullshit. And everything was happening so fast, it was overwhelming. And, honestly, I didn’t feel like I had any…right to comfort you, you know.”

“I’m afraid I don’t,” Ignis frowns.

“Like… I would just end up making it worse for you.”

Oh. “Nothing was your fault. I’m not upset with you.”

“But--"

“Listen, focus your energy on Ardyn. He’s the one to blame. And just know, I realize what I did was irrational and highly dangerous, but I would do it again if it meant keeping you safe.”

“Would you tell me what happened?” Noctis sounds like he isn't sure if he wants to know or not. 

“…Perhaps later. It’s late and we both need rest. Let’s call it a night for now.”

Noctis doesn’t put up a fight at all. “Alright. Would it be okay if… I slept here …with you?” he asks, still clinging to Ignis’ side.

“If you wish. Do you need anything?”

“Nah. Let’s just sleep.”

“Very well.”

Noctis let’s go of Ignis only long enough for both of them to situate themselves down on the bed and is back against Ignis before the covers are even around them.

“Sleep well, Noct.”

“You too, Specs.”

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/chuunicorn_?s=09) if you'd like!


End file.
